Automating communication and information exchange

Abstract

The system and method automates communication and information exchange, for example, to manage strategic decisions in an organization. A messaging system and method provides a way to capture messages into a data store so that workers in different teams may browse through the messages to understand what their colleagues are doing and why. The archived messages can be browsed to allow the user to view the causes and effects of the message. A system and method for obtaining information provides a way to efficiently query individuals in the organization.

The invention claimed is:  
     
         1 . A computerized method for automating the exchange of information related to strategic decisions within an organization, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a message data store for storing messages addressed to computerized devices of individually identified recipients within said organization;    receiving a user selection of at least one individual involved in a strategic decision, wherein a user providing said user selection includes any member of said organization who is affected by said strategic decision;    searching said message data store for at least one strategic information message associated with said individual and not addressed to said user; and    retrieving and displaying to said user said at least one strategic information message associated with said individual, whereby said user can adjust plans to align with said individual.    
     
     
         2 . The computerized method of  claim 1  wherein the step of providing said message data store comprises storing message information in said message data store when messages are sent by said computerized devices of said individuals in said organization, wherein said message information includes at least contents of each of said messages, a date of each of said messages, a sender of each of said messages, and each said individually identified recipient of each of said messages.  
     
     
         3 . The computerized method of  claim 2  wherein said message information also includes access permissions specified by said sender of each of said messages, and wherein only strategic information messages for which said user has access permission are retrieved and displayed.  
     
     
         4 . The computerized method of  claim 1  wherein said step of searching said data store includes searching said data store for related messages received by a sender of said at least one strategic information message immediately prior to sending said strategic information message, and wherein at least some of said related messages are also retrieved and displayed.  
     
     
         5 . The computerized method of  claim 4  further comprising receiving a user selection of said related messages that are likely to be a cause of said strategic information message, and wherein said user selected related messages are retrieved and displayed.  
     
     
         6 . The computerized method of  claim 1  wherein said at least one strategic information message is retrieved and displayed using a web browser.  
     
     
         7 . The computerized method of  claim 1  wherein said message is selected from the group consisting of an email message and an instant message provided by an instant-messaging system.  
     
     
         8 . A computerized method for automating the exchange of information related to strategic decisions within an organization, said method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving from a computerized device of a sender contents of a message and at least one recipient of said message;    storing message information pertaining to said message, said message information including at least said contents of said message, a date of said message, said at least one recipient of said message, and said sender of said message;    searching a message data store and retrieving similar messages having similar contents;    displaying said similar messages to said sender; and    transporting said message to a computerized device of said at least one recipient.    
     
     
         9 . The computerized method of  claim 8  wherein said message is selected from the group consisting of an email message and an instant message provided by an instant-messaging system.  
     
     
         10 . A computerized method for automating the exchange of information related to strategic decisions within an organization, said method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving from a computerized device of a sender contents of a message and at least one recipient of said message;    comparing said contents of said message to stored descriptions of duties of other members in said organization to determine additional potential recipients of said message;    displaying said additional potential recipients to said sender;    receiving a user selection of at least one of said potential recipients to add as a selected additional recipient of said message; and    transporting said message to a computerized device of said at least one recipient and to a computerized device of said at least one selected additional recipient.    
     
     
         11 . The computerized method of  claim 10  wherein said message is selected from the group consisting of an email message and an instant message provided by an instant-messaging system.  
     
     
         12 . A computerized method for automating the exchange of information related to strategic decisions within an organization, said method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a user initiation of an operational action on a computerized device;    displaying, in response to said initiation of said operational action, a list of recent messages received by said user;    receiving a user selection of related recent messages that are causing or influencing said operational action; and    storing a link between said related recent messages and said operational action.    
     
     
         13 . The computerized method of  claim 12  wherein said message is selected from the group consisting of an email message and an instant message provided by an instant-messaging system.  
     
     
         14 . A computerized method for automating the exchange of information related to strategic decisions within an organization, said method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving from a computerized device of a sender contents of a new message and at least one recipient of said new message;    displaying to said sender a list of messages recently received by said sender;    receiving at least one user selection of said recently received messages based on a relationship to said new message;    storing message information pertaining to said new message together with links to said selected recently received messages, said message information including at least said contents of said new message, a date of said new message, said at least one recipient of said new message, and said sender of said new message; and    transporting said new message to a computerized device of said at least one recipient.    
     
     
         15 . The computerized method of  claim 14  wherein said message is selected from the group consisting of an email message and an instant message provided by an instant-messaging system.  
     
     
         16 . A computerized method for obtaining information from a plurality of individuals, said method comprising: 
 providing an expertise data store including expertise descriptions of individuals;    receiving a query from a computerized device of a user;    comparing said query with said expertise descriptions in said expertise data store;    determining at least one individual most likely to answer said query; and    transporting a message including said query to a computerized device of said at least one individual most likely to answer said query.    
     
     
         17 . The computerized method of  claim 16  wherein the step of determining at least one individual most likely to answer said query includes determining a set of individuals and ordering said set of individuals according to the likelihood of answering said query, and wherein the step of transporting said message includes sequentially transporting said message to a computerized device of each individual in said ordered set of individuals until at least one individual in said ordered set of individuals answers said query.  
     
     
         18 . The computerized method of  claim 16  further comprising the step of determining which of said individuals are available to answer said query, and wherein said at least one individual most likely to answer said query is available.  
     
     
         19 . The computerized method of  claim 16  further comprising the step of removing said message from a computerized device of said individual if said individual does not send an answer to said query in a predetermined period of time.  
     
     
         20 . A computerized method for obtaining information from a plurality of individuals at computerized devices, said method comprising: 
 receiving a query from a computerized device of a user;    determining which of said individuals are available at said computerized devices to answer said query;    transporting a message with said query to a computerized device of at least one of said individuals available to answer said query; and    removing said message from said computerized device of said individual if said individual does not answer said query in a predetermined period of time.    
     
     
         21 . The computerized method of claim  20  wherein the step of transporting said message includes sequentially transporting said message to said computerized device of each of said individuals available to answer until at least one of said individuals available to answer answers said query.